TPI Chronicles 3: Freeing Jake Gray
by shadowglove
Summary: Sequel to When Tara Met Jason. X w/ Devour. Thanks to a vision of Ava's, Chloe and the psychic are now cross country, trying to find a way to free Jake Gray. Then Chloe discovers that someone from her past is in the thick of this, and he holds the cards.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville/Supernatural/F-13/Devour**

Sequel to "When Tara Met Jason"

Written for my Paranormal25 150 Prompt Tale. Prompt of the Day # 120: Vision

**A/N: Should be a two-or-three-shot**

* * *

Chloe looked around the yard of the old wooden cabin, standing underneath the huge tree where she got such horrible vibes from. "Is this the tree?"

"Yeah, it is." Ava nodded, standing next to her and rubbing her arms, not from the cold, but remembering the images that'd made Chloe uproot the psychic receptionist and take her all the way out here across country while leaving Lana to man the phones since Jo, Lois, and Clay were all out on assignments. "This is where she strung up their bodies, so that their blood could flow into this goblet here. Then, when he chose humanity over the demon princehood she was giving him, and he tried to kill her, she forced him to drink the blood, something freaky happened, and he blanked out. She framed him for the murders, every single one that she'd made while looking for him, and he was taken away. The court found him insane and sentenced him to a life sentence in a high-security crazy bin."

Chloe took in a deep breath, looking around her at the place where all that horror had happened. "And you said the research you did said it'd happened a year ago?"

"Yeah." Ava nodded.

"I just don't get it. _Why_ are you getting visions of things that happened in the _past_?" Chloe wanted to know, beginning to walk around the place and look around, tried to _feel_ it out. "You've always only dreamt of or had visions of future events. Why is this one different?"

"I don't know." Ava turned to her. "All I know is that were supposed to help him, to get him out." She paused. "What if---what if it has something to do with the fact that he is like Ally?"

Chloe flinched and yet nodded. "I---I've wondered that. If this isn't somehow connected to it."

When they'd discovered that Chloe's attacker that night had been a _demon_, the blonde had nearly had a nervous breakdown, but she'd had the support and love of all of her friends, and she'd gotten over the shock. Her daughter had been half demon. "It fits the same MO." She gulped. "Maybe that's why he did it. He wanted her to accept her demonhood and she wouldn't so he killed her and everyone in the house with her Except this demon was a _mother_, and it's harder to _kill_ something that's shared your heartbeat...so she punished him instead."

Ava nodded, showing that she too had come to this conclusion.

"Okay." Chloe nodded, looking around her once more. "I'm going to leave you here for a little, trying to sense out anything that might help us with this case. I'm going to go to visit Mister Gray and see if his meds let him have a little conversation with me."

Ava nodded. "Okay."

"Call me if anything happens." Chloe ordered as she walked back towards the Ford Explorer she'd rented as soon as their plane had landed, and drove away from Jake Gray's uncle's cabin, where all the horror had culminated. Her mind was a whirlwind as she finally got to the main road and drove in the direction of town. She tried not to think of Alice or her horrible death, but this situation was just bringing up the memory over and over and she wiped at her eyes before clearing her throat and reaching for her cellular when it rang. "Chloe Sullivan speaking."

"Chloe, where the hell are you?" Lois asked, the frown in her voice. "Clay and I made it back around the same time to find _Lana_ nearly pulling her hair out while trying to man the phones, and then she tells us that you bought tickets to some destination none of us know about, and took Ava with you? What's up?"

"There's a case I need her on." Chloe hedged. "Do you have a pen and paper at hand?"

"Should be somewhere in the drawers, give me a sec." Lois advised. "Okay. Got 'em."

"I want you to do a nationwide search through the Main Computer in my office, starting from a year back, about murder/suicide cases that had to deal with self mutilation. Especially of the eyes and ears and tongue/mouth."

"How...utterly..._eww_." Lois commented as she wrote this down. "And this has something to do with the case you have Ava on?"

Chloe nodded, and then remembered that Lois couldn't see her. "Yeah. I need _every single one_ in chronological and geographical order. This is important, Lois. This thing is still out there and I doubt that it stopped here, so I need proof that its out there and still doing its dirt."

"What exactly _is_ this thing?"

Chloe sighed and looked away. "A woman named Anne Kilton. She sold her soul and sacrified other people, to become a lower level devil. Of the horned kind."

Lois hissed. "I _hate_ cases like this where the bad guys is really _human_."

"Well, she _used_ to be." Chloe agreed.

"I can understand these devils and demons and things hurting others, but I can never understand a human doing it to another." Lois announced.

"Me too." Chloe nodded, a little distracted, nervous. "I also want Jo to investigate everything about Jake Gray." She gave Lois the name of the town. "He's roughly a year or two older than me, probably around Clay's age."

"And he has something to do with this too?" Lois asked, obviously writing this down.

"Yep, he's in the thick of it." Chloe ran her hand up her forehead and down the back of her head. "He's her son. He's half demon."

Lois went silent.

Chloe drove into town, looking at the map open on the front passenger's seat, trying to remember which of the odd back roads led to the facility Jake Gray was being kept at.

"Half demon." Lois whispered.

"Lo..."

"Now I'm getting the sudden fervor." Lois sighed. "This is about Alice, isn't it?"

Chloe refused to answer.

"It's not wrong if it is, you know. It's totally understandable, and I want you to know that I would have come if I'd been there at the time."

Chloe nodded. "I know, Lo."

"We'll make this top priority." Her cousin promised. "If you need anything else, just call me right away, okay?"

"Okay." Chloe smiled softly. "Thank you, Lois."

"You're welcome, Baby Cuz." Lois whispered back before hanging up.

Chloe drove the rest of the way in silence, and finally arrived at the mental institution.

The people working there had given her some trouble to see Jake, but Chloe was strong, and persistent, and she had connections, and in the end they just gave up and let her go to his room.

It was white and padded and he was sitting in the corner in a straightjacket, expression blank and clouded, obviously drugged up until he didn't even know who he _was_ anymore.

The wardens had told her to be careful, that he was insane and thought everyone demons or something, and that he would attack if he felt threatened.

"Jake?" She spoke softly, as if to a wounded animal after she'd removed her shoes and everything in her pockets, and entered the room, the door closing behind her. "My name is Chloe Sullivan."

He continued to look straight ahead, gaze unfocused, seemingly not hearing her at all.

"I'm...I'm not going to hurt you." She walked towards him slowly. "I'm here to help you."

Still nothing.

"When I was thirteen I was raped." She didn't even know why she was telling him this, he was so drugged up he probably didn't even know he was awake. "My daughter, Ally, was like you. Half demon."

There was a reaction in those eyes, and Chloe realized he was trying to fight the drugs, trying to become conscious and focused.

Probably trying to talk to her.

"She was killed, slaughtered, by her demon father when she was three. Her babysitter, who was in the house with her, got killed as well." She bent down so that she was looking into his handsome face. "I know you didn't kill them, Jake, and I'm going to help you. I'm going to get you out of here. Okay?"

That battle between focused and unfocused was still going on in his eyes.

But that was enough, she knew he was in there somewhere and she was going to help him.

"I need you to be strong." She hesitated a second before reached towards him and pulling a strand of long, uncut and unruly blonde hair out of his face, behind his ear.

At the contact his eyes went focused, immediately, and he looked up at her.

Pleading.

Chloe felt her heart go out to him, trailing her hand down to his shoulder and giving it a small squeeze. "You're not crazy, Jake. I know what you said happened...really happened. These people, they can't understand it. They can't and they shouldn't have to. But I'm going to help you, and I'm going to get you out of here." She gave his shoulder another squeeze. "I'll be back." With that she stood and left the room, the door closing behind her a sound she felt guilty for as she grabbed her things, put on her shoes and walked out.

She was on her way to her car when she was waylaid by the head of the institute, a Dr. Warren, who gave her a disapproving glare as he reached her.

"Miss..."

"Sullivan." She replied, turning towards him, still putting things back into her pockets.

"Miss Sullivan." He tried once again, straightening himself to his full height and pushing his glasses up his nose's bridge. "I was told by one of my orderlies that you forced your way into a visit with Mr. Gray."

"Now _how_ could I have _forced_ my way in?" She wanted to know, patronizingly. "I'm barely 5'3" and your workers are all well over 6 feet tall."

A muscle jumped in his cheek. "Mister _Gray_ is a high risk patient and for everyone's safety..."

"Oh cut the _crap_." Chloe snorted. "We both know that Jake Gray is so drugged up he doesn't even know when he pisses himself. High Risk my _ass_."

Another muscle in his face twitched as he rose his hand to fix his glasses more on instinct than because it was necessary.

Chloe's eyes narrowed as she caught sight of a small symbol tattooed into the back of his wrist.

_Oh_.

Oh!

"This is beginning to make more sense now." She looked at the doctor with a smirk. "I'll be back. Tell Varden I said _Hi_."

Dr. Warren's eyes wide and his mouth gaped open.

Chloe entered the rental car and drove away, dialing Ava as she sped out of the parking lot.

"It's hard to pick up, but there's just something _weird_." Ava spoke instead of saying hello. "I can't quite put my finger on it, and my Sight has gone wacky." She sighed. "How did the visit go?"

"They've pumped him up with so much drugs...it's sad." Chloe sighed, eyes on the road as she took the corner. "I think he heard me though. I hope he did, anyway."

"I'm sure he did." Ava responded. "Where are you headed now? Back here?"

"No, I'm working on a hunch and heading towards the sheriffs office." Chloe admitted, taking another corner.

"Wasn't Jake's uncle the sheriff before he was murdered?" Ava wanted to know, sounding as if she was pressing her hand against her head.

"Yeah, his second in command is the new sheriff, and something just doesn't add up. I need to see something." Chloe parked in front of the station and got out. "I'll call you when I finish, okay?"

"Sure, I'll see if I can work around whatever's got my Sight all whacky." Ava replied. "Take care."

"You too." Closing the door behind her and putting her phone in the pocket of her jacket, Chloe took in a deep breath and squared her shoulders as she walked towards and inside of the police station. It was small and there were only a few cops around, but they all seemed to notice her as she came in.

The blonde was a little freaked out by that, but she ignored it as she went to the receptionist and told her that it was important that she speak to Sheriff Whitman.

While the woman looked wary at the city girl, she phoned the sheriff in his office, and after a moment told Chloe to go in.

Wondering if the whole town was as wary of outsiders as these were, Chloe walked into the small office that the impressively young Sheriff Whitman was within.

"Miss Sullivan." Sheriff Whitman stood, coming towards her and shaking her hand.

"Sheriff Whitman." Chloe shook his as well, gaze lowering for a second to the symbol tattooed on the meaty, curvy section at the base of his thumb.

It was the same symbol that Dr. Warren had had.

"How can I help you?" Sheriff Whitman asked, motioning to the seat as he took his own behind his desk.

"You could start by telling me why Varden has his lackeys drugging up that guy and keeping him locked up for crimes we _both_ know he didn't commit." Chloe responded, getting right to the point as she sat down and lopped her legs casually, noticing how Sheriff Whitman nearly missed his chair when he sat down as she said that. "Is this something personal for him, or did Jake's mother want him to suffer for choosing to not be her little Prince of Darkness and she asked Varden to make sure that that punishment was seen to the end of his days?"

"I d-d-don't know what you're talking about." All of a sudden, all of the Sheriff's air of authority and command was gone.

"Cut the bullshit." Chloe leaned forwards. "You're Varden's lackey, his _familiar_, just like Dr. Warren is. I know because Varden tried to get me to tattoo his own little symbol too."

Whitman's gaze went down to his tattoo, his mark of ownership. "You're lying."

"Oh, I'm not. Varden is a _old acquaintance_ of mine. We go _way_ back." She leaned back in the seat, unable to believe that their paths were crossing again. "So, you want me to ask you again, or do you want me to ask him personally?"

"You can't talk to him personally." Whitman stood. "He is not to be disturbed!"

"Ouch. How _loyal_ you are." Chloe replied, gaze going to her nails. "So, since you're going to bothersome, I'm guessing he's in a barn somewhere on the outskirts of town. It'll be close to running water since he likes the sound, it reminds him of when he was still mortal. There's be a lot of trees, so that they can provide shade, and I'm guessing the barn will be painted purple. His favorite color." She paused, looking up from her nails to the stricken-lloking sheriff. "How am I doing so far?"

"How---?" Whitman gasped.

"His _number_, Whitman." She snapped. "Believe me, he wont be happy when I find him, and he realizes you didn't tell me how to find him."

Whitman hesitated.

He hesitated a full second, before reaching for the phone and dialing a number.

He waited, pale, sweaty, like a _pig_.

Chloe scratched at her eyebrow, looking around the room.

"Hello, Master." Whitman's voice lowered. "I--I--I know. I'm sorry for disturbing your rest. I---there is someone here who would like to speak to you." He gulped. "Yes--yes I know Master, I know what you said, but she said---yes, she." He took in a deep, nervous breath. "Short, curvy, blonde. An attitude the size of Wyoming."

Chloe raised an eyebrow at him.

Whitman's eyes widened. "Yes, yes her name is Sullivan." He cleared his throat. "I haven't passed the phone to her yet because I was telling you---yes---sorry---." He passed the phone to her. "He would like to speak to you."

"Good boy." Chloe patted his head condescendingly before grabbing the phone and bringing it to her ear. "Varden."

"Chloe." His voice was a near purr. "I knew you'd come looking for me eventually."

She smirked at how sure he seemed of that. "Tell me the truth. It was the Wyoming comment that tipped you off to who I was, wasn't it?"

"Of course." He replied silkily. "Plus, I couldn't think of any one else, male or female, who could scare one of my most pathetically loyal familiars into disturbing my day rest when I told him that if he ever did that I'd kill him."

"Well, you know me, I have a way with words." She snarked, picking up a picture frame on the desk of Whitman and some brunette.

"Amongst one of your many talents." His voice was deep and dark and promised night of hot, rough passion.

"Well, if we were talking about my talents we'd be here for eternity, and, well, I'd get bored, so lets just cut to the chase." She put down the picture. "I'm calling you about Jake Gray. I want him."

There was silence on the other end.

Chloe sighed, leaning back against the seat. "Let's not make this difficult Varden. I want him. You got him. _And_ you owe me that favor."

There was a growl on the other end of the line.

The blonde rolled her eyes. "Can we not do this now?"

"All these years, and you call me about some _man_?"

"Oh god. I doubt this will damage your massive ego for long." She replied, looking down at her skirt. "I saved your skin back then, Varden. You _gave me your word_. Or does your word mean _nothing_ anymore?"

"Don't push your limits." He snarled into her ear. "I won't forgive you of _anything_."

"Yes, you will." She countered. "Look, V, I want Jake Gray. You do this for me, and you aren't in my debt anymore. It's a win/win situation."

He paused before answering. "Why do you want him?"

"I just _do_." She replied. "Do I ask you why you do the things you do? No. I turn a blind eye. It's our deal. And you gave me your word. You said that whatever I wanted, you would give me 'even to the half of your kingdom'."

Whitman's eyes widened at that.

"I was _drunk_." Varden grumbled, obviously not being pleased as she taunted him by quoting him. "Otherwise you _never_ would have gotten the offer of _half_ of my kingdom. You don't deserve it."

"Isn't it good for both of us that I don't _want_ your kingdom?" Chloe asked. "All I want is Jake Gray. And you can give him to me---and _keep_ your kingdom intact."

"We will talk about this in person." He decided, reluctant. "It has been years since I have seen you. You would not deny me this, would you, Chloe Ann Sullivan?"

"I'm a very busy girl, Varden, I don't have _time_ to make house calls." She stood, bending over the desk, palm open and down on the surface. "I need to know whether you're going to honor your word or if I was an idiot to believe that your word actually _meant_ something."

Whitman looked like he was going to faint.

"You...that was a _low_ blow, Chlo." Varden spoke softly, sighing.

She could imagine him running his pale hand over his hair.

The blonde felt a moment's guilt before looking away, refusing to apologize.

"You will come to me tonight, and we will talk."

And with that he hung up.

Chloe growled, hanging up the phone. "I'm _busy!_ I don't have _time_!" She turned on Whitman, angry, as if all of this was somehow _his_ fault. "Directions to that damned purple barn. _Now_."

* * *

**Review?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville/Supernatural/F-13/Devour**

Sequel to "When Tara Met Jason"

Written for my Paranormal25 150 Prompt Tale. Prompt of the Day # 120: Vision

* * *

"So who is Varden?" Ava asked as they ate the food Chloe had picked up for them at some diner after leaving the sheriff's office.

The two young women sat under a tree, filling each other in on what had happened to them during their separation.

"He's someone from my past." Chloe picked at her beef sandwich, giving a little sigh. "We had a..._thing_...some years ago."

"A _thing_..." Ava echoed, looking intrigued.

"Yeah, a _thing_. A very hot and heavy and totally inappropriate _thing_." Chloe replied a little testily, pouting. "We should have known it wasn't going to last, you know. I was fourteen, he was _dead_."

Ava choked on her fry. "_Dead_?"

"Undead." Chloe quickly rectified. "Vampire."

Ava continued to look at her with wide eyes. "You were a vampire's _Lolita_?"

"Kinda, technically." Chloe nodded, making a face. "I needed stability in my life, and my dad was always busy and Alice _loved_ V."

Ava went still at the topic, before looking up at Chloe through her eyelashes. "He knew Alice."

"He met me the day she was born. Or, well, he was kinda in the wrong place at the wrong time and we were stuck together in an elevator at the museum when my water broke two weeks ahead of schedule." Chloe smiled softly at the memory. "The elevator broke down in the shaft and I'm claustrophobic, and the stress and terror made me go into labor a bit prematurely. Varden had been at the museum at the time finishing a deal with the curator and had gotten stuck with me in the elevator. He delivered the baby."

"Wow." Ava had finished her sandwich during the story, and was now wiping her hands in her tissue. "Why didn't he just---you know---eat you and the baby? There must have been so much _blood_ and to a vampire..."

"Temptation, I know." Chloe nodded. "He later told me that he wanted to, _god_ he wanted to, but something kept him from hurting me, like a voice in the back of his head telling him it would be the stupidest thing he'd ever done in his life and he'd live to regret it. So he withstood the bloodlust and delivered Alice into this world. I kinda forgot about him, but when I took Alice to the museum a couple of months later he was _there_ and despite the fact that he seemed to know a freaky amount about me I didn't care. Of course, I didn't know at the time that once a vampire has your scent they can track you, and that he'd had me investigated...and when I found out I was more flattered than peeved."

"Teenaged girls." Ava snarked.

"So true." Chloe sighed. "We started our affaire when I was fourteen, a couple of months after I met up with him again."

"How long did it last?" Ava asked.

"We broke up when I was seventeen."

The brunette's eyes widened. "You were with him for all of those years?"

Chloe nodded. "Varden's been the most important person to me for a very long time, it was hard to end it, but he wanted to mark me as his with his little tattoo and I realized that I didn't want to be just another of his property. You know? I broke it, he didn't take it too well...but we finally made our peace, and when it came down to hunting Lucy's coven, it was my experience with Varden that helped us do it."

Ava nodded, remembering the story of how Lois had gotten initiated into the Supernatural. "Is he a part of the vegetarian coven Lois talked about?"

Chloe snorted. "_No_. V's _far_ from vegetarian, they are another coven a met _through_ him."

"Oh." Ava gave Chloe an odd look. "So he drinks from humans and you haven't hunted him?"

"Well, Varden...Varden's _special_." Chloe sighed after finishing her sandwich. "And anyway, after...after Alice...he chose _special_ victims. Rapists. Killers. People who the law doesn't catch or turns a blind eye to." She looked at Ava, serious. "I don't _care_ if he kills those people."

Ava was silent.

"Plus, a vampire can feed off of you and not kill you. Just means they have to feed more often so that they'd not hungry enough to drain you dry." Chloe replied, balling up the foil wrapping her sandwich had been in. "As long as you as the Bleeder eat healthily, especially a lot of foods that will strengthen your blood, you could be that vampire's source of food and he would never have to kill ever."

Ava looked horrified. "You're talking from experience, aren't you?" She leaned towards Chloe. "He _fed_ from you?"

"Apparently my blood is _special_." Chloe confessed, unable to look at Ava. "It filled Varden quickly, easily. It was better than him going out and feeding from someone else---just the thought made me jealous at the time." She cleared her throat. "Plus, I kinda liked it."

Ava blinked. "I'm seeing a _whole_ new side to you right now."

Chloe looked down at her shoes, a little embarrassed by how much she was revealing to her friend.

Thankfully, she was saved by her ringtone.

Pulling out her Samsung from her pocket, Chloe answered the call and placed it to her ear. "Sullivan speaking."

"Hey Chlo." Lana's voice could be heard.

"You survived manning the phones." Chloe teased.

"Don't talk to me." Lana sounded like she was pouting, before she cleared softly. "So, Lois filled us in on the particulars of the mission you're on. You okay?"

"Yeah, we're fine." Chloe nodded even though she knew Lana couldn't see her.

"Lois tried to use your computer. She couldn't even turn it on. And I----after last time I didn't even _want_ to go near it. So since Jo is out on a new case---some haunting in a home uptown, Clay decided he'd try. He managed to boot up the computer and get the search working, but it has been fighting him all the way." There was a pause. "You're computer _hates_ us."

Chloe bit down on her bottom lip to keep from laughing. "That's not true, Lan. It's just been programmed well."

Lana sniffed. "Anyway, I'm emailing you the files you need. Get to the nearest cyber cafe and print them out. There are _tons_ of files that meet your description, and all around the time you specified." She paused. "So, what do you plan on doing with this Jake Gray when you spring him free? And _how_ do you plan on springing him in the first place? _Sure_ this could prove that there is someone else out there that kills the way they thought Jake did, but it doesn't mean _he_ didn't do it. They could take it to mean he has an accomplice, or that there's a copycat killer."

"I won't worry about how they explain it, I'll just give them the information and he'll get it done."

"He?" Lana asked, picking up on that one word.

Chloe hesitated. "The sheriff of the town, and the doctor at the institute they have Jake in are both Varden's familiars."

Lana was silent for a moment. "_Varden_ is there?"

"Yeah, I---I'm going to meet up with him in his lair in a little bit." Chloe replied, nodding. "He owes me for saving his life that one time, and he'll get Jake off for me, I know it. The heads of the whole _town_ from judge to senator are most probably his as well, he'll find a way to do it."

"Plus, if its for you, Varden's proven he'd do anything."

Chloe gave a small smile, hearing the wistfulness in her friend's voice. "Lana. Don't get any ideas in your head now. This _isn't_ a reconciliation."

"Why not? You're both still in love with each other." She was almost _whining_. "Why can't you just, you know, get over the little argument you had and...?"

"_Little_ argument?" Chloe raised an eyebrow. "Lana, I bashed him in the head with a _hammer_."

Ava choked on a sip of her drink.

"Only because you knew that with a little blood he'd be fine." Lana argued. "If you'd known it would _really_ hurt him you wouldn't have done it."

Chloe paused. "Well...there _are_ some fringe benefits of being with someone undead, I'll give you that, but Lana, I _know_ you liked the thought of me and Varden being together, but it just isn't going to happen. I can't---I can't be the person I was when I was with him. I grew up."

Lana sighed. "But he still loves you."

"You don't know that."

"Yes I do." Lana protested. "He's _always_ going to love you."

"He _wants_ me, he's _possessive_ of me." Chloe tried explaining. "He doesn't _love_ me."

"So he offered you a 'half of his kingdom' because he's _possessive_ of you."

"He was _drunk_."

"Because you dumped him!" Lana exclaimed, exasperated. "_Again_!"

Chloe winced. "Which shows that we can't work out. We got together twice, we broke up twice. That's just how things go."

"He moved to _Smallville_ to be closer to you." Lana sounded tense. "The reason it didn't work was because you were too scared to love anyone fully because you're scared they'll leave you. The relationship didn't work out because _you_ didn't risk your heart or soul or anything, and while I can understand how life has made you harden yourself against being 'vulnerable', but Chloe, if you don't change and see the good things that can happen to you if you would just open your heart a _little_ you're going to end up old and alone and it'll break my heart if that happened!"

The killer part was that Chloe couldn't snap at Lana for that tirade.

Because Lana was right, and Chloe knew it.

So biting back her angry response, Chloe sighed and closed her eyes, running a hand over her head. "I know that, Lan. I _do_. But---but things won't work out with V, please understand that."

Lana sighed. "It doesn't _have_ to be with Varden, Chloe. What I'm saying is that he _loves_ you and you need to stop closing yourself off from love. You're going to meet a wonderful guy who loves you and who makes you want to love him back in return, but you'll be so closed off, so scared, so unwilling to risk getting hurt or losing someone, that you're going to push him away like you did Varden and you're going to miss out on the most beautiful thing you could ever experience."

Chloe looked down at her shoes, feeling like a child chastised by her mother. "Stop watching Dr. Phil."

Lana laughed, dispelling the tension atmosphere. "You're incorrigible."

"I know." Chloe smiled.

There was a moment's silence, and then Lana cleared her throat. "You know, Lois has been trying to convince me to send Clay over there to help you."

Chloe smiled. Clay was always such a great help to her. He was the newest member of _Tara_, and yet he'd quickly made himself invaluable to the team. He was protective and smart and sweet and all the girls practically ogled him _every single time_ he passed by...not that he noticed.

The blonde had to admit she'd done it a couple of times herself.

"Tell her thanks, but I'd prefer for him not to be here for this one." Chloe finally replied. "You know how Varden can get, and he's already pissed off because I'm contacting him because of some '_man_'."

"Ouch." Lana agreed. "I'll let her know."

"I got to go. Talk to you later." Chloe turned to Ava. "I think you should stay out of this one. I'll leave you at the motel and go see him on my own, okay?"

Ava looked a little disappointed at not getting to meet the mysterious Varden, but agreed as they went to the car and drove to the closest Internet Cafe, transferring the files from the computer to Chloe's usb. With that Chloe dropped Ava off and headed towards the directions that Whitman had given her, coming upon the barn by the time the moon was full in the air.

Taking in a deep breath, Chloe got out of the vehicle and walked towards the open door into the light, unable to keep herself from smirking when she saw him standing by the stairs of the barn, looking just as handsome as he always had. "V."

"Chlo." He smiled, those dimples going _deep_ as he pushed away, stalking towards her, hair dark, eyes darker, skin pale as moonlight. "It has been too long."

Chloe tilted her head back a little to look at him, feeling that sensation of longing she always did with Varden, but suppressing it. "How long has it been since we saw each other last?"

"Four years." He replied smoothly, not having to think the answer.

"You haven't changed a bit, as to be expected." She snarked, looking him over admiringly before taking a step back and holding out her usb drive in between them. "So, you saw me. Here's all the information on killings by Anne Kilton that your people can use to make up some story. Now free Jake Gray."

A moment's darkness passed over Varden's features before he cleared his throat and reached for the usb. "I had him taken off of his medications after we spoke earlier. He should be...more lucid now."

"So, what was your deal in all of this?" Chloe wanted to know, unable to keep herself from asking the question. "Why do Anne Kilton's dirty work?"

"We did some business together, she asked a favor." He shrugged. "She was killed a couple of months ago."

"Really?" Chloe asked in surprise. "By who?"

"Someone who has the _Colt_. I'm thinking it might be John Elkins, but I'm not sure. Word is that Luthor's coven killed Elkins and took the Colt, but then Luthor's coven got _eliminated_, so I'm not vouching for the validity of the claim. _Someone_ has the Colt and is using it on demons...so I'm guessing its a human, a Hunter."

Chloe frowned. "You're keeping yourself well hidden from the Hunter alliance, right?"

For a second he didn't react, and then he smiled. "You're _worried_ about me."

"Of _course_ I'm worried about you." She snapped. "Someone out there has the _Colt_."

"I doubt they'll use it to try and kill me when decapitation works so well." He replied dry, before smiling once more, those dimples so deep, so beautiful. Even his _eyes_ seemed to twinkle as he smiled. "It makes me feel good to know that despite the fact that you _bashed my head in_...the thought of someone else hurting me gets you upset."

"Bash someone's head in _once_ and they _never_ let you forget it." Chloe muttered to herself before turning to Varden. "I have to go. Do the orderlies and warden at the facility know not to give me any trouble?"

He nodded, smile melting away to slight longing as he watched her. "I was hoping we could talk for a while."

"You wanna talk, come visit me at _Tara_." She replied offhandedly as she turned to leave. "I'm on a job right now. No time for socializing."

He seemed...surprised. "You would welcome a visit from me?" "Why wouldn't I?" Chloe asked, genuinely confused as she turned to look at him. "V, we mightn't be, you know, _like that_ anymore, but if you _ever_ need me, I'm just a phone call---or a _visit_---away. You know that, right?"

Apparently he _hadn't_.

His amazed smile was all the answer she needed.

But he gave her one anyway. "And I am always here to help you as well, Chloe Ann Sullivan."

"I know." She winked with a smile before marching out of the barn, waving as she went. "Take care of my half of the kingdom for me!"

She could hear his laughter behind her as she made her way to her vehicle and drove away, dialing Ava.

"How did it go?" The brunette asked upon answering.

"Fine, I'm heading towards the institute as we speak to pick up Jake. V will take care of the rest." She smiled. "How about you? Have you figured out why your Sight's acting all wonky?"

"Well, I'm thinking it was the dark magic that happened at that place." Ava admitted. "It's overloading my senses and causing havoc."

"It would make sense." Chloe agreed.

"So, I got a call from Clay." Ava announced oddly. "He said he'd called you but you weren't picking up so he was worried something had happened to you and called me. _I_ told him that you probably hadn't taken your phone with you when you went to meet Varden."

"I didn't." Chloe admitted. "Is something wrong why Clay called me?"

"No, not exactly." Once again Ava sounded odd. "You just...uh...know him. He's very...protective." There was a pause. "Especially of _you_."

"Yes, well, he _does_ get his paychecks from me." Chloe laughed, taking the corner, about ten minutes away from town and twenty from the Institute.

Ava gave a little growl. "Yes, of course."

Chloe raised an eyebrow at the sisterly frustration in that voice. "Is everything alright? You sound like you want to tell me something."

"If you haven't figured it out already, I don't think I should help you." Ava sniffed.

Amusement filled the blonde. "This sounds intriguing. What am I not figuring out?" She took a left and entered town. Suddenly a thought crossed Chloe's mind and her eyes widened. "You and Clay aren't...._are_ you?"

"Chloe!" Ava exclaimed in horror. "I'm going to get married to Bradyin a couple of _months_! I love my man to pieces! Of _course_ Clay and I 'aren't' !!!!!!!"

"Oh. Right. Relief." Chloe sighed. "I like Brady a lot."

"How about _Clay_?"

"How about Clay what?" Chloe asked, confused

"Do you like _him_ a lot?"

"Of course I do!" Chloe laughed. "Who _doesn't_ like him alot? He's handsome, sweet, charming, got _great_ work ethics..."

"That's _it_!" Ava growled. "I give _up_!"

Chloe was going to ask Ava what in the world she was talking about when she saw the institute in the distance. "Ava? I'll have to call you back later."

She hung up to Ava growling something about obliviousness.

Chloe laughed and shook her head, humming to herself the rest of the way until she parked outside of the institute.

This visit was a _lot_ different than the one she'd made previously.

Now they seemed to be _tripping over each other_ trying to be nice and helpful.

She wondered what exactly Varden had said when he'd called ahead and given the orders to make their attitude change _so much_.

But there were other more pressing matters at hand, as she came face to face with Jake.

He was awake, sitting in a wheelchair, looking lifeless, out of the straitjacket and wearing clothes that might have once been his, or maybe not. She didn't know, and she didn't care.

Jake Gray had lost everything in his life.

He'd lost his family, his friends, his home and belongings (since the people of the town had set his home on fire when he was convicted of all the killings)...and he may have even lost his sanity.

Living here like this, with the memories and the guilt he must have, blaming himself for what had happened to those he loved...and being pumped up with so many drugs...

...It was enough to drive _anyone_ a little insane.

But Chloe was going to help him.

She'd take him back home with her, and she'd help him get back to health (both mental and physical) and she'd help him with anything. If he wanted to work with them, great, if he wanted to just disappear afterwards she'd accept that as well.

"Hey Jake." She whispered, going to kneel down in front of him. "Do you remember me?"

He nodded, the movement slow and clumsy from the drugs still in his system.

"I'm taking you out of here, okay?" She placed a hand on his knee. "I'm going to help you."

He looked fearful.

Here was another stranger in his life taking him away.

"I know you have no reason to trust me, but you will, in time." She promised, heart hurting her as she could see the pain and suffering Jake Gray had gone through all over his face. Chloe squeezed his knee reassuringly. "I'm going to help you, and if you want to leave when you're better, I won't try to stop you."

His eyes looked surprised at that.

"I'm not taking you from one prison to another, Jake." She whispered, looking up into his eyes and wishing for him to believe her. "I'm taking you to my home, which, hopefully one day will be _your_ home too. At least until you're ready to take the reigns of your life back."

A flash of hope flared alive in his eyes at those last words.

Chloe smiled, standing and grabbing the bag with a few of Jake's belonging from one of the orderlies and wheeling him away.

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**One more chappie to go for this segment in this 'verse.**

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	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville/Supernatural/F-13/Devour**

Sequel to "When Tara Met Jason"

Written for my Paranormal25 150 Prompt Tale. Prompt of the Day # 120: Vision

**A/N: Should be a two-or-three-shot**

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Thanks to all the drugs in his system, Jake slept through all of the drive to the airport, the flight to Metropolis, and the drive back to Chloe's apartments on the top floor of the _Tara_ building. If it hadn't been for Clay and his mega strength, they wouldn't have been able to get him up to his bed, and while everyone wanted to get a look at the new guy, Chloe had shooed them away except for Clay, who was helping her rearrange Jake in a comfortable position in bed under his sheets, and remove his shoes and such.

"Are you sure it's safe for you to have him here with you?" Clay asked in a soft, uneasy voice, stepping back and leaning against the wall as he looked at the sandy-blonde man sleeping deeply in her guest bedroom.

"Of course." She whispered, tucking Jake in before brushing some hair out of his face with a smile and standing up. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"He's on some heavy medication now, Chlo." Clay reasoned. "He'll wake up, disoriented, in a place he doesn't know, scared, and body going through withdrawal of his meds. I don't like the thought of you being here alone with him when that happens."

Chloe looked at Clay with wide eyes before returning her gaze to Jake. "I'm sure it won't be as bad as that."

"Chloe." Clay's face was dark and serious. "I don't feel comfortable with this."

She gave him a long, thoughtful gaze. "Are you offering to stay over for the night?"

He nodded, not denying it one bit. "The other guest room is closer to this one, so if anything happens I'll be awake and there to help you."

She didn't know why she was so surprised at the offer. Clay was probably the most helpful person she'd ever met. He was incredibly nice, considerate, protective and helpful.

He was kinda perfect sometimes...and annoying the other half of the time.

Which kept him from getting boring, in her books at least.

"That bed is very uncomfortable." She warned him, making sure he knew what he was getting himself into. "The springs rebel against anyone using them."

"As kids my family family would take Whitney and I camping." Clay always got that sad expression in his eyes when he spoke about his sister, yet thankfully each time that disheartening gleam lasted less and less in his beautiful eyes. "I'm used to rougher conditions."

The blonde motioned with her head towards the doorway and they exited the room, Chloe leaving the nightlight on so that it wouldn't be completely dark as she closed the door. "You want some hot cocoa? I've got a craving for it all of a sudden."

"_I'll_ make the hot cocoa, _you_ go take a bath." Clay replied.

"Are you telling me I stink?" She gasped in mock-indigination.

Clay's blue/green eyes twinkled in mirth. "No. I'm saying you've been on the job, driving, and in a plane for the last couple of hours. _You_ bathe and de-stress, and _I_ will make us some cocoa and scrambled eggs."

"You are my hero." Chloe gushed happily as she reached for his arm, pulled the gigantic man down to her height and pressed a thankful kiss to his cheek before rushing to go take a bath, just _giddy_ at the thought of scrubbing her skin clean and soaking for a while in the warm, relaxing water.

She found it amusing how, despite the fact that she lived on the top floor of the _Tara_ building, everyone seemed to want to congregate in her living after hours instead of just concluding matters below. Lois, Lana, Jo, Clay, Ava and even _Brady_ were known to spend quite a few nights at her place, raiding her kitchen and watching movies or playing board games or _something_.

The blonde finally pulled herself out of the tub and changed into a large t-shirt and boxershorts, going to find Clay finishing with the eggs, passing her a plate.

"Yum." She smiled, taking said plate, and stealing one of the cups of hot cocoa, before going to sit on the stool by the counter. "Thanks."

"Welcome." He smiled, standing on the other side of the counter, laying his plate and cup down. "So...he's like your daughter."

She hesitated a second before nodding, taking a sip of the delicious beverage. "Yes."

"What are your plans?" Clay asked, eyes on his eggs.

"Well, to help him, obviously." She announced after chewing and swallowing. "They played with his life like they did with mine and Alice, and I'm not going to let them ruin his life like they did mine. Plus, maybe, I can understand a little more about what happened with _me_ by helping him...and that sounds _so_ selfish when I say it out loud."

"No, it doesn't." Clay shook his head. "And I think it's really commendable what you're doing, and I can understand how it would be something like therapy, but I just want you to remember that that's a human being inside there, not a hurt puppy."

"I know that." Chloe mumbled, gaze on her plate. "You probably don't know what I'm talking about, but I met Varden when I was there."

"Lois said he was an old love of yours." Clay surprised her by admitting. "And that he's a vampire."

"Yes, on both accounts." Chloe nodded. "It was...so _surreal_ talking to him again. I---I felt I was fourteen all over again." She frowned. "I don't know if I liked the feeling."

"Do you ever think you'd get back together with him? Now that you're older and...I don't know." For some reason Clay seemed uncomfortable.

"No, I don't think I'd ever get back with Varden." Chloe admitted after a moment's silence. "Don't get me wrong. A part of me is always going to be in love with him, and be grateful for all he did for me, but being with Varden reminds me of when Alice was alive, and I just can't----it's hard enough to live each day with her memory now. But Varden---seeing Varden is like seeing Alice, and I know its unfair and that he doesn't deserve for me to do that, but I just do. And I---." She lowered her head and took in a deep breath. "When my daughter was murdered, a part of me died with her. I'm not the same person I once was and I don't think I ever want to be because that would be like I was betraying her memory."

Clay was silent, but his gaze was intense and nearly _physical_.

"Anyway, at work tomorrow I want you working on a special case for me." Chloe shook her head, trying to rid herself of the bloody images and a mutilated, terrified child's face. "I want you to start a research on who stole the Colt from John Elkins. It surprises me, because Daniel Elkins, his brother, is the one I would have thought would have gotten the Colt, but then again Daniel Elkins died in a suspicious car crash two years ago so maybe his little brother got hold of it postmortem."

"The Colt?" Clay frowned, confused. "I'm guessing you're not talking about a young horse."

She flashed a quick smile at that. "No, far from it. It's a revolver, made by Samuel Colt. It can kill _anything_, even demons. But there's a limited amount of bullets---or at least there are according to legend---and so it should only be used sparsely. I'm guessing another Hunter has it, and I'm not going to feel safe until I know _who_ does."

"Okay," Clay nodded. "I'll get on it first thing tomorrow and see what I can find."

"Thank you." She smiled at him.

Clay hesitated a second before reaching over and placing his hand on hers. "It's going to be alright, Chloe."

She sighed and tightened the hold. "I hope you're right."

But for some reason she felt as if things were only going to get worse before getting better.

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